Letheren welcomes audit

The Canadian Olympic Association's chief operating officer on Tuesday said a potential conflict-of-interest crisis has not drawn her into the ever-growing Olympic scandal.

Letheren reportedly received substantial consulting fees while serving as a member of the '96 Olympic bid committee. But two former members of the Toronto group said Tuesday that Letheren resigned prior to accepting the paid position.

However, Paul Henderson and Norman Seagram contend that while Letheren was serving as a paid consultant with the Toronto Olympic bid, she held a similar job with a Hamilton group attempting to land the '94 Commonwealth Games. That has led to additional suggestions of conflict.

"I'm confident there has been no conflict of interest," Letheren said confidently in a telephone interview. "I think there is a lot of confusion out there around the facts and I think it's appropriate to get a third party to have a look at these, review it and clear the air.

"I'm anxious to get it done once and for all."

Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman announced earlier this week that his office will conduct an audit of Toronto's '96 bid committee records.